The Camping Chronicles
by bluecamosis
Summary: Hermione never imagined the great outdoors could yield so many advantages.


**Warnings: ** Sexual situations, Adult language, Jerk-o-nator Ron, Occasional moments of fluff

**Summary:** Hermione never imagined the great outdoors could yield so many advantages.

**Author's Note:** I do not own the characters, I only borrowed them for a small amount of time. This story was for a fanfic exhange on livejournal. Since we've had the big reveal, I thought I'd share it with you. This story would not even be possible if it weren't for my 2 wonderful betas! Thank you ladies!! Without you I would never get a story finished. :)

* * *

Hermione packed her things with a frenzy, preparing to leave the Burrow. No one dared speak to her while she collected her belongings; everyone was afraid of the brunt of her wrath. No doubt, the entire house had heard the shouts and accusations coming from her and Ron. As she stuffed the last of her things in her trunk, tears slid down her cheeks. She was partially sad, yes, but mainly she was angry and hurt. Her thoughts drifted back to replay their heated words.

The whole argument started because Hermione had made the mistake of trying to tell Ron how to touch her in a certain way as they stole a quick grope at the Burrow in Ron's old room. Instead of heeding her direction so she too could achieve pleasure, he continued to touch her the way he thought she should be touched, the way he wanted to touch her. She remembered the look of frustration on his face, his expression no doubt mirroring her own as she pushed him off her, let go of his cock, straightened herself, and stormed out of the house.

_"Hermione, why do you have to boss me around so much?" Ron sneered._

_Hermione's voice rose to a full bellow. "Is that all you think I do? I can't believe I am having this argument with you again, Ron!"_

_Ron threw his hands up in the air. "Bloody hell, Hermione! You're constantly telling me what to do. I am tired of not being treated like a man! It's like you have to be a better man than men themselves."_

_A look of absolute outrage crossed Hermione's face at Ron's statement. "Ronald Billius Weasley—"_

_Ron shouted over her, ignoring the warning signs of her use of his full name. "You are always right, I'm always wrong, and I can't take it anymore! I can't live up to your precious standards any longer!" _

_Hermione bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to keep from spewing hateful words at her soon-to-be ex-fiancé. She closed her eyes briefly and counted to ten, making sure her voice was steady and calm before she spoke. "I'm appalled that you'd have the audacity to speak to me this way, especially in mixed company. The sad part of this whole argument is that it's obviously long overdue."_

_Ron cocked his head to the side like a confused puppy. "What do you mean?"_

"_In a nutshell, Ron, I'm glad this finally happened and will be relieved to be getting away from you."_

"_Now hold on there, Hermione."_

"_You drive me crazy! There, I said it!" Hermione cradled her head in her hands and laughed, the sound a mixture of relief and nervousness. "I just … I just can't take it anymore, Ron: the immaturity, the stubbornness, the inability to compromise." Hermione looked up, her eyes imploring him to understand. "After all the time we wasted at school and mistakes we made during the war, I thought we'd be able to learn from that, from one another."_

_Ron's face screwed up as if he'd just sucked on a lemon, his skin beginning to take on a deep crimson color._

"_But you are such a jerk sometimes! I'm not saying I'm perfect, far from it, but at least I'm willing to listen to my partner in ALL aspects of the relationship, even if I wholly disagree with what he says."_

"_And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"_

"_Oh, Ron!" Sadness spread across Hermione's features. "You have no idea what my wants and needs are, emotionally or physically."_

"_I don't? You could've fooled me, Hermione." Ron advanced on her, backing her up against the garden fence. "I buy you flowers, take you places, and even cuddle after sex. Not once have I heard you complain."_

"_Please! Just because I'm not screaming at you blow by blow instructions every second of the day doesn't mean I'm satisfied on all fronts. I've tried every approach I could think of, the direct, gently worded way included, to get you to understand. I thought if there was any place we'd be in sync, it would be in the bedroom considering the obvious sexual tension over the years."_

_Ron took a step back as his face turned another ten shades of red. He was clearly pissed, and Hermione was well aware that what she'd said had now caused some serious damage._

_Prompted by his silence Hermione said, "After seven-plus years of school, flirting, fighting and dating, you think you would've got to know me by now and care what I have to say to you!"_

That's when Hermione stormed back into the house and began gathering her things. She knew that based on _this_ argument their relationship was over. Ron's ignorance had caused him to lose her forever, and all because he was too proud to have her tell him what to do anywhere, the bedroom included.

She had to get out of there as soon as possible. She had a sneaking suspicion she would no longer be welcome at the Burrow.

As Hermione Levitated her trunk down the hall and stairs, she wondered if there were going to be members of Ron's family following her, trying to talk her into working things out with him. _Not bloody likely_, she grumbled mentally. As far as she was concerned, they were over.

Sure, Hermione knew that she had the tendency to be a little bossy, but Ron was fully aware of this quality in her from the onset of their relationship. However, she thought she'd been more than accommodating when it came to Ron's wants and needs, so damn it, why couldn't she have a say, too? It angered her to no end that he continued to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, laughing off her prompting or concerns. There was nothing more painful and frustrating than someone abusing—because that's what it truly felt like when he touched her—the most sensitive parts of a woman's heart and body. And if today had finally taught her one thing, it was that she was thoroughly over playing around with boys, this little boy in particular. She needed someone who understood how to treat a woman, respect her and keep her.

In short, Hermione Granger needed a man.

She paused in the kitchen on the way out the back door. She looked at the sea of Weasley faces, all standing there holding their breath.

"Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I apologize for any inconvenience I might have caused you. Thank you for all of your hospitality, but I really must be going."

Her head held high, Hermione walked out the door. She then placed her arm on her floating trunk and Disapparated to her apartment. She seethed with anger as she cancelled the Levitation spell, making a mental To Do list while pacing the floor. First things first, she was going to box Ron's things and shove them through the Floo to the Burrow. After that, Hermione would owl work about taking her long-overdue vacation effective immediately. The last thing she wanted was to be bothered by the meaningless chatter of the people around her when she was this pissed off.

Still pacing, she began talking to herself, "What should I do? Where should I go?" She mentally catalogued the remaining friends, family members and places that weren't connected with a Weasley, checking each of them off as a "no, I can't go there." She stopped abruptly as her eyes caught a wizarding photograph of her, Harry and Ron taken by Ginny in the Forest of Dean after Snape's memorial service.

"Ugh, I hate camping!" She scowled at the happy faces smiling back at her. "However," she pondered aloud, "no one would ever think to look for me in the woods."

With a lighter spirit, she set about to getting her affairs in order. After taking care of Ron's stuff, emptying her trunk, and penning letters to work and her parents, Hermione packed a Muggle tent, food, and other camping and personal necessities into her beaded bag. She decided that she was going to go rustic, roughing it for a while. She wanted to be alone, find some peace and quiet on this trip, using as little magic as possible. This was exactly what she needed, and if she happened to have a little naughty fun that included a man, all the better.

* * *

Hermione arrived at London's Heathrow airport, went through customs, and had her passport checked for departure. She had been determined to travel the Muggle way, ensuring that there was no chance of anyone knowing how to find her, no magical signature to trace and follow. She took the train to terminal five, which handled all international flights. And after checking the departures and arrivals board for the status of her flight, Hermione sat at a nearby bench, pulled out a book and began reading while she waited for her flight to be called; she was startled when shortly thereafter the loud speaker boomed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to welcome you to Continental flight number twenty five forty eight to Nashville, Tennessee. We will begin boarding momentarily, children and passengers needing additional time first, followed by first class and rows one through fifteen. Please have your passport and ticket information ready."

Hermione had decided she wanted to be as far away from London, Ron, Harry, well, everyone and everything as possible. So, she chose the United States, Tennessee specifically, for her destination. Hermione remembered vacationing there with her Muggle cousins as a child and knew the exact spot that would be great for camping. It was peaceful, used to have a lake stocked with plenty of fish and was well known for its beautiful countryside.

Hermione looked at her ticket. She was assigned to row ten, seat A. She quickly gathered her things, boarded the plane, and found her seat. Unlike many of the travelers loaded with over-sized bags, she only had a small carry-on and her beaded purse. She put her carry-on in the overhead compartment and moved to sit by the window. She was exhausted, ready to sleep the whole ten-hour flight. After buckling her seat belt, she grabbed a pillow and fluffed it. Once the flight attendants made their announcements, she leaned the pillow against the window, drew the shade and fell asleep mid-take off.

Hermione awoke when she heard the hustle and bustle of the other passengers in the cabin. Hermione excused herself to the people sitting beside her and went to the lavatory, where she washed her face and ran her fingers through her hair. It wasn't as bushy as it used to be from her childhood, but it still managed to be a bit wild. She pulled it into a ponytail, effectively getting it out of her face. This was not something she normally did, but she was on vacation, and this was a time to do things one didn't normally do. Satisfied, Hermione returned to her seat and waited for the flight to land.

After arriving in the United States, Hermione patiently stood in the customs line. When she approached the inspector, she handed over her passport and identification. The woman asked her a few general questions, making a slight reference to her lack of luggage, then stamped her passport, sending Hermione on her way. Hermione then trotted over to a car rental kiosk, where she once again handed over her identification to the clerk. She filled out the necessary paperwork and was given the keys to a sporty silver Toyota. She spotted the car in immediately in the parking lot, unlocked it, and got behind the wheel. Sighing to herself as she buckled the seat belt, she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot in search of her camping spot.

Hermione drove for miles on interstate sixty-five, listening to the different music on the local radio stations, sometimes shutting off the radio all together, preferring the silence of the road. Once she found the side road that would lead her to her destination, Hermione drove the car around the side of the mountain and down to the narrow path to the dense woods and parked as close to its opening as possible.

She remained in the car a moment longer, surveying her surroundings. With a satisfied smile, she unbuckled herself and stepped out, pulling her two bags out of the backseat. She clicked the button on the remote key to lock the car and watched as the lights flashed, signifying that it was indeed secure. She looked around, taking in the peaceful beauty of nature before hiking north into the woods to find the camping spot.

Hermione walked for about an hour until she was deep in the heart of the forest at the foot of the mountain. She found the clearing from her childhood, a lake in the distance confirming she was in the right spot. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, welcoming the fresh air and open space, and then began to unpack her beaded bag.

* * *

Severus was sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair reading his favorite book when his wards alerted him that someone was trespassing on his property. He snapped his book shut and immediately grabbed his wand. Even though most of England knew he'd survived the Battle of Hogwarts thanks to Skeeter's big mouth and her libelous quill, he hadn't told a soul about having this piece of land, so he was curious to see who had found him. Perhaps it was merely a lost hiker.

"Point me," he commanded the length of wood. His wand vibrated for a second then swiveled in the direction of the lake. He slipped on his shoes and made his way toward the infiltrated area.

As he neared the clearing of the lake, Severus could hear the sounds of a female grunting in what seemed to be mild aggravation. He was careful to be quiet as not to startle whoever was on the other side of the thicket of bushes. When Severus reached to part the limbs, he stopped dead in his tracks. Hermione Granger was not the person he was expecting to see.

He watched, irritated yet fascinated as she emptied her rather gaudy purse of its contents, prioritizing the items she'd use first. She then picked up the tent bag and dumped out the contents on the ground. It was a pop-up tent that slept two with a separate area for a small kitchen, effectively keeping the food inside and away from stray animals. Granger divided its parts into piles, read through the instructions then began the task of assembling tent with _her hands_.

Severus was rather shocked that she wasn't using magic. He scoffed to himself, thinking that the tent would have been assembled much quicker than the way she obviously insisted on doing it. Hermione was the one student he taught who always had the answers and could do everything perfectly. _Leave it to Granger to have something to prove, even if no one was around_.

She laid out the tent's fabric next. He watched her body as she wiggled across the ground, struggling to spread it out flat. She then slid the tent poles through the openings provided and wedged the tent stakes into the ground to make it stand up. From this particular angle, he could see the tiny beads of sweat forming and then dripping off her brow. She was dirty and possibly smelly, but he found her to be quite sexy in her flustered 'I am woman; hear me roar' state. Surprisingly, he could feel a slight bulge forming in his pants.

Severus continued to spy on her as she placed her hands on her hips, surveying her progress. Obviously, putting a tent together was much more difficult than Granger had anticipated. Still, she appeared satisfied and possibly empowered at being able to take care of the tent herself without the aid of her wand.

She turned and hammered the last stake into the ground, then wiped perspiration off her forehead with the back of her hand. The sweat—combined with the high humidity—caused her t-shirt to cling to what Severus noticed to be a quite lovely form.

Very interesting indeed, Severus noted to himself.

* * *

After the tent was complete, Hermione began to put the remaining items away. She wanted to make sure that all of her possessions were stowed and organized in their rightful place. Hermione crawled in the tent, leaving the door flap open to get some air circulating in there. She unrolled her sleeping bag and placed her pillow at the head of her bed. She stepped back outside of the tent and surveyed her work. For someone who hated camping, she was quite chuffed with all that she had accomplished.

Hermione decided it was a good time to go out and get some firewood. She spent an hour collecting before heading back, certain she would need more before her vacation was complete. As she trekked to her campsite, she made a mental note to gather different herbs and other ingredients that would be good for cooking or remedies she may need during her stay.

By the time Hermione finished, it was mid-day, and the muggy weather had her clothes sticking to her body as if she'd just stepped from the shower fully dressed. It was driving her insane! She looked at the lake and a mischievous smirk formed on her lips. Perhaps it was time for a break.

Hermione walked to the base of the lake and tugged off her boots and socks. She dipped her foot into the water to check the temperature. Not too hot, but not too cold either. Hermione looked from left to right and then pulled off her top. She folded it then stacked it on the waist-high set of rocks next to the lake. While contemplating swimming in her undergarments, a sense of adventure overtook her and soon the rest of her clothes joined the shirt.

She edged towards the water naked as the day she was born and slowly slipped beneath the surface until it covered her breasts. Her nipples immediately hardened as the water enveloped her skin. _God, it feels good to be nude, free, alone. Maybe now's a good time to reward myself for a job well done and take the edge off my earlier disappointment_. Hermione frowned briefly and shook her head to clear any thoughts of Ron. She wanted this moment to be enjoyable and hers alone.

She reached down and trailed her hands over the curve of her breasts. Slowly, she began to caress them just the way she liked, pinching one of her nipples between her thumb and index finger. Hermione's head fell back, and she let out a soft moan. Her body ached for sweet release, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she was keening and shuddering with orgasmic bliss.

The water caressed her skin as one of her hands left her breasts and slid over her stomach to her quim. She spread her legs wider, her core throbbing in anticipation. Eyes closed, she brushed her fingers along her folds, sliding them back and forth, teasing herself. In her mind, Hermione conjured the oft-used image of her fantasy man. He was completely—though unsurprisingly—different from Ron in almost every way: tall, dark, mysterious, and a voice like liquid mahogany. His face was never truly formed, but it didn't matter, since she preferred her fantasy man to take her from behind and whisper dirty words in her ear.

Hermione pushed two fingers inside herself, crooking them slightly while her thumb stroked her clitoris. Her breathing was labored, ragged, and her whimper of need sounded almost foreign as it escaped her lips. Within minutes, her legs went rigid as weeks upon weeks of tension snapped. Hermione's entire body shook with pleasure as she reached her plateau and surged beyond it, tiny pin pricks of light forming behind her eyelids as the wave bliss crashed over her.

Hermione opened her eyes and fell back into a float as her muscles tingled with aftershocks. The light of day was beginning to fade, and she knew it wouldn't be long before the night mist would begin to form in the thicket of trees. With her body somewhat sore but sated, she lazily swam to the shore. The last thing she needed was to fall asleep, creeping thoughts of sadness and hope rattling in her head, and drown now that she was a pile of goo.

* * *

Time had been good to Granger in Severus' humble opinion.

He watched as she headed over to the lake. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she got undressed and waded into the water. She was beautiful in her naked glory.

Severus was mesmerized as her hands disappeared beneath the surface of the water. He started when a moan escaped her lips. _Is she doing what I think she's doing? Well, well, well … maybe Granger isn't as prudish as she comes off_.

The sounds of Granger pleasuring herself were almost enough to do him in. He couldn't tear his eyes off of her as she continued to work herself to climax. Severus had seen and done many things in his lifetime, but he'd never desired a woman quite like he did Granger right at this moment.

Without realizing it, his hand drifted to his now rock hard cock. _Merlin!_ Perhaps he'd left his needs unattended far too long if he was thinking of her this way. A visit to the local watering hole would take care of that.

Severus drew in a breath when she reached her peak. Her body shuddered violently, then sagged, and he was sure she was about to pass out. He warred with his conscience as to whether or not he'd retrieve her from the lake if she didn't make it back. Oh, who was he kidding? Of course he'd go in after her, embarrassment be damned! Luckily, nothing so dramatic happened, and he continued to watch as she headed for the shoreline.

Severus took a long look at her and decided to leave her be. It wasn't as if she'd find him, and really, how much trouble could one ex-student be? She'd be gone soon enough.

* * *

Hermione was glad that she'd collected firewood earlier, because now she was ready to eat. She dug a shallow trench for her fire pit and lined it with nearby rocks. Hermione stacked the wood in the trench in a teepee-like fashion. She struck a match and lit the fire. While the fire was burning, Hermione pulled a packet of bacon out of her cooler and a can of beans from her food stockpile. When the flames died down and the coals were good and hot, Hermione cooked her dinner, all while casting glances at the night sky. As the beans and bacon warmed her belly, she pointed out to no one in particular the stars and constellations that she recognized.

Hermione stifled a yawn and got up to prepare for bed. The stress of the last few days was really wearing on her, and she felt exhausted. She sleepily trudged to the lake to brush her teeth and wash her face. After changing into her nightclothes, Hermione crawled into the tent and zipped it up behind her. Snug in her sleeping bag, she drifted off to sleep.

Hermione was violently jarred awake by crashes of thunder and blinding flashes of light. She unzipped the tent and peeked out to survey the source of the ruckus when lightning struck a tree just a few feet from her tent. Hermione scrambled backward into the tent and crawled into her sleeping bag, pulling it tight around her neck. She curled up on her side and tried to go back to sleep, grumbling that the weather forecast hadn't mentioned anything about rain.

She'd just closed her eyes when she felt something wet plop onto her face. Hermione let out a loud groan as she realized that water was dripping from a loose seam from the roof of the tent. She got up and dug around in the dark for her bag. Installing a patch from her repair kit was the last thing she wanted to do in the middle of the night.

* * *

Severus was on his porch rocking in his favorite chair, watching the storm unfold. Chaotic weather always intrigued him. It reminded him of just how fragile life was and how quickly it could change without warning. Many years of mistakes, vows and battles had taught him that.

Severus was plucked from his thoughts as streams of lightning lit up the sky then speared to the ground. He heard a cracking sound in the distance followed by a large, wet thud. Severus surmised it was likely a tree falling in the woods.

As the rain began to fall at a quicker pace, his thoughts drifted to Granger. He wondered if he should check on her, make sure she was doing all right. He knew there was no way she was sleeping through the wind and rain. It was no doubt rattling her feeble little tent.

_But why should I care? It wasn't as if she or the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Annoy bothered to see if he was still alive after they got his memories._

His common sense warred with his conscience, each argument resulting in a draw. Blowing out an exasperated sigh, Severus decided it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look, and trudged inside to ready himself for the journey to Granger's camp.

* * *

The moment Hermione left the tent to fix the leak, she was drenched, the cold rain soaking her to the bone. Thoroughly wet and absolutely miserable, Hermione struggled to open the patch kit, unable to see properly due to the driving rain. When the kit ripped open and the contents spilled out onto the ground, she cursed under her breath, mentally kicking herself for not biting the bullet and using her wand. Her frustration continued to mount as each of her patching attempts kept failing, causing tears to begin to prickle behind her eyes.

"Well… well… well…" boomed a voice full of mockery.

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound behind her. _It can't be!_ She turned slowly, her shoulders drawn tight to her neck as she dreaded the inevitable, and looked into the ever-disapproving eyes of Severus Snape.

"And you call yourself a witch," her former teacher said, shaking his head as he took her to task.

Hermione looked hard at Snape, her eyes ablaze. He was the last person she wanted to see her like this, let alone have him ridicule her. Tears trickled down her rain soaked face. No doubt she looked like a drowned cat to Snape.

"Nothing to say for yourself then?"

"As a matter of fact I do call myself a witch!" Hermione roared.

"Then why do you insist on doing this the hard way? You have the ability to have patched this roof in a matter of seconds, yet you insist on doing this the Muggle way. Not quite the caliber of witch I thought you were."

Hermione stared at Snape completely dumbfounded. Her anger had escalated to new heights, and it was as if her blood were actually boiling beneath her skin. She didn't have to explain herself to him and certainly didn't need his approval! And his quip questioning her abilities as a witch made her want to slap that smirk off his face.

While she contemplated something witty to say, Snape grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the tent like an errant child. He led her through the woods, ignoring her yanking and protests. She couldn't believe this was happening to her! Of all the people to be run into, why did it have to be Snape?

She was pulled from her mental rant when he pushed her through the front door of a cabin.

"Sit down in front of the fire and warm yourself up. I'll go and get you a towel to dry off."

Hermione did as she was told. She was too cold to argue with him and was thankful for whatever bit of hospitality he seemed willing to show her, if one could actually refer to the Almighty Severus Snape as anything even remotely resembling hospitable. Hermione never thought she'd say it, but she was grateful that he found her and took her in out of the rain.

Snape came back into the living room and draped a towel around her shoulders. She snuggled against its warmth as her teeth began to chatter. Hermione scooted closer to the fire to curb her shivering.

"Perhaps you would like to change out of those wet clothes."

Hermione did her best not to spit out a smart remark. "I would really like to, but all of my belongings are out in the tent. I wasn't exactly planning to abandon my stuff."

Snape raised an eyebrow and tapped his index finger to his lips. "Let me see what I can offer you. I'm bound to have something that should suffice for the evening until you can return to your outdoor hovel."

Snape swiftly left the room and headed to the back of the cabin. Hermione used his absence to look around, taking in the sights of this quaint little niche in the woods. It was an open floor plan that had a living room area, combination kitchen and dinette, a bathroom, and one bedroom. While it was rather small, Hermione somehow knew it was enough for Snape's needs. He never struck her as a man of many possessions while at Hogwarts, and his house seemed to reflect that aspect of his personality.

Hermione was once again pulled from her musings by Snape clearing his throat. He handed her a t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts, both stark white. Hermione laughed on the inside when he handed her the traditional men's shorts. She never thought of Snape as a man to wear boxers—and definitely not white—not that she ever thought him in those terms.

"Erm… I hate to be a bother, but do you mind if I use your shower to take the edge off the chill? I can't seem to get warm."

"Of course, you'll find fresh towels and washcloths underneath the bathroom sink."

Hermione stood and rocked from foot to foot, unsure of how to proceed. "Thank you, Professor Sna—er, Severus." She looked everywhere but at him, hoping he wouldn't make a big deal over her use of his given name. "I really appreciate everything."

Hermione got up and headed to the bathroom. She stripped down and took a nice hot shower, mulling over this latest turn of events. Not wanting to use all of her host's hot water, she grudgingly climbed out of the tub and dried off. Deciding that there was no hope of taming her hair in this instance, she picked up her clothes from the sink and wrung out the excess water before hanging them over the shower rod to dry. As an afterthought, she helped herself to some mouthwash sitting on the counter and exited the bathroom.

Severus was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book when Hermione re-entered. She leaned against the doorjamb and just watched him. She was surprised to see him looking so at ease, so peaceful. She paid close attention to his face, evaluating his hawkish yet rugged features. Hermione would never classify him as traditionally handsome, far from it, but there was something about seeing her former professor in his current state that caused her to re-evaluate this man of mystery through the eyes of an adult rather than continue to rely on the preconceived notions of her childhood.

He had dark hair and bottomless eyes, and his forehead held many creases, no doubt from constantly furrowing his brow at his students. There were permanent smudges under his eyes, and Hermione attributed them to years of sleep deprivation. He was solemn, solitary, and if he would only allow his lips to turn upward in a fraction of a smile, Hermione felt certain it would take years off his face. And while she knew it sounded a bit cliché, there was a part of her that wanted to know what his soul held.

"Is there something of interest to you, Miss Granger?"

"I uh… um... didn't mean to stare," she stuttered, embarrassed she hadn't noticed he'd closed his book and shifted his focus to her. A deep shade of pink crept into her cheeks at being caught staring.

Severus just smirked, picked his book up, and began reading again. In a fog of humiliation, Hermione staggered to the chair adjacent the couch. She flopped into it and curled her legs underneath herself. Deciding silence was likely the best way to handle the situation, she leaned her head back on the velvety cushion and closed her eyes. She stayed like that for what seemed like hours before the world went black.

* * *

Hermione awoke with a jerk to dark, foreign surroundings. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest as she tried to climb through her sleepy confusion and figure out where she was. She heard a light snoring next to her and looked down to see the peaceful sleeping figure of Severus Snape next to her. His arm was thrown over her waist, and his face was pressed into the crook of her shoulder.

She watched the rise and fall of Severus' chest. As much as it should creep her out to be sleeping next to him, she didn't feel that way at all. Surprisingly, Hermione felt a sense of peace, almost comfortable. When it got down to it, she couldn't remember the last time she shared a similar experience with Ron.

"When in Rome, I suppose," she whispered and lay back down. Hermione snuggled into Severus' awkward embrace, maneuvering her head so that it lay on his chest. She listened to the thump of his heartbeat until the rhythm caused her to drift back to sleep.

She awoke once again, only this time the sun was shining in her face. She stretched her arms up, careful not to displace Severus, only to realize she was in bed alone. Part of her was kind of thankful that she didn't have to face any uncomfortable explanations.

Hermione padded to the bathroom for a pee and used the mouthwash to rinse out her mouth again. She ran her fingers halfway through her hair but realized her combing attempt was futile. As she exited the bathroom, she could smell something cooking. She ventured to the kitchen to find out what.

Severus was seated at the table, which boasted two delicious omelets and some sausage for breakfast. He motioned to the place setting nearest her. "Good morning, Miss Granger."

"Good morning, Severus," Hermione said boldly.

"I trust that you found your sleeping conditions to be acceptable."

With that one comment her courage faltered, so, Hermione just nodded as she felt a familiar warmth rise in her cheeks. For the life of her, she could never figure out how he always managed to make her feel insignificant and childish.

The smell of the breakfast had tantalized Hermione for far too long. She sat down and tucked in, a small moan of enjoyment escaping her lips from the first bite. Severus chuckled, a sound unfamiliar to Hermione's ears, and began to eat his own food.

When the two finished, Severus took the plates and began to wash the dishes. "When I'm finished up here, what say we go and survey the damage to your camp site. Your clothes should be dry."

Hermione's voice was flat. "That sounds like a good idea."

In all honesty, she didn't really want to go back out there now that she'd had her memory refreshed on what it was like to 'rough it.' She was starting to think that maybe camping really wasn't such a great idea.

Hermione tried to hide her disgust for her predicament by occupying herself. She went over, grabbed a dishtowel off the counter, and began drying the dishes as Severus finished washing them. They worked in silence until the task was complete, though Hermione would occasionally steal glances at her former professor. She noticed that the circles under Severus' eyes weren't as pronounced as the night before. She wondered if his good night's rest as had anything to do with it.

Dressed and ready to go, Severus and Hermione padded out of the door and stopped on the porch. There were leaves and limbs all over the place. The storm wasn't horrible, but it was enough to shake up the earth a bit.

Severus led the way down the path to Hermione's tent. When they got to the clearing, Hermione stopped in her tracks. The tent had been destroyed in the night. Tree branches had fallen on top of the tent, and it was blown over on its side, the fabric split halfway up the middle. Hermione thanked her lucky stars Severus had turned up when he did.

"You shouldn't even bother trying to fix this poor excuse for a tent," he said. "Collect your things, and if you are so inclined to continue your vacation, you may stay with me for the remainder of your visit."

Hermione opened her mouth then closed it, unsure of what to say. She opted instead to gather her sodden things and salvage what she could before deciding on whether to accept Severus' surprising invitation.

The freethinking woman within her screamed for her to reject it, and with it him, because progressive women didn't need to depend on anyone other than themselves, especially a man. Merlin knew she'd been handling almost everything on her own since the tender age of eleven. But the reckless, very deeply buried, teeny tiny romanticized part of her found it rather intriguing that there was actually a capable man within the vicinity that was willing to allow himself to be depended upon.

She sighed in a defeat and began to pack her items in her bag. Once she had collected what she could, she turned around to look for Severus, but she noticed he was gone. She scanned the campground searching for him and discovered him leaning against the rock—the rock of nudity and afternoon masturbation, that rock—looking out at the lake. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and quietly walked over to him to join his perusal of the body of water.

"Interesting things… lakes," he said casually.

"That they are… that they are," Hermione deadpanned.

"I have an idea, Hermione," her name rolled off his tongue like a summer breeze, "let's go for a swim."

She was shocked. Severus had never referred to her by her first name. "Um, are um, you sure that you want to? I don't exactly have a swim suit," she stuttered.

The gleam in his eyes seemed almost shark like. "Funny thing is neither do I. I propose this: how 'bout I turn my back, and you undress and get in the water. Just let me know when you are covered."

Hermione blushed, sure this was some kind of trick. After ticking off the pros and cons of the situation, she agreed. Severus, true to his word, turned his back and waited for Hermione to get undressed. When she was neck-deep, she called out for him to join her.

Severus crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you would return the favor and turn around so I may get in the water. Surely you didn't think I'd allow you to have a free show."

Hermione snorted but kept her end of the bargain. She wanted so badly to turn and peek, curious as to whether the size of a man's nose held any relation to his naughty bits. However, there was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was checking him out. He'd never let her live it down.

She heard the water's ripples and splashes as Severus entered the lake. She fidgeted, waiting for the moment when she would face him.

"You may turn around now, Hermione."

She turned and found herself face to face with Severus. He was lean, muscular, with only the barest hint of the summer sun on his skin. She found she had to resist the urge to reach out and touch him. Instead, she opted for giving him a good splash him in the face.

When she tried to escape his return wave of water, his arms snaked out and pulled her to him, dunking her once for good measure. He brought her to the surface, turned her to face him, and locked eyes with her. "It's been a long time since a woman has intrigued me as much as you do."

He reached up and stroked her cheek softly. Going purely on instinct, she nuzzled up against his hand, closing her eyes against her better judgment. He leaned in and kissed her lips softly. As he deepened the kiss and stroked her tongue with his, she reached out and placed her hands on his chest, tracing the lines of bone and muscle. Hermione's body was tingling, awash with all kinds of sensations, some old and some new. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Her sense of urgency increased, and she took control of the kiss.

Severus ground his cock against her, his hands firmly gripping her buttocks. He moaned slow and deep as he broke the kiss and looked searchingly at Hermione, brushing wet strands of hair our of her face. "What kind of magic is this?"

Hermione smiled as she looked up him, her chest heaving from the intensity of their embrace. His touch felt like electricity against her skin. She'd never experienced anything like this, with neither Viktor nor Ron, and some unknown part of her longed to be one with Severus right now.

Hermione reached up and traced the contours of Severus' face. He closed his eyes as she lightly caressed the arch of his eyebrows with her fingers. She continued to map his face and ended with her thumb brushing gently across his lips. He planted a sweet kiss on its pad, and she noticed the corners of his mouth were turned up into a faint grin. Sooner than she would have liked, he moved away from her body with excruciating slowness.

"I believe this is our queue to get dressed. It's time I taught you how to make a real campfire, one that won't insult Native Americans."

Something he said clicked in the back of Hermione's mind. "Severus, were you spying on me?"

"Think about what you just asked, what you know about me, and you'll realize just how silly your question is."

Giving her no time to retort, Severus led Hermione out of the water. Each was careful not to take advantage of the other's nudity. He dressed on one side of the rock while Hermione dressed on the other. Hermione picked up her beaded bag as they started walking back to the cabin. Her stomach was in knots. Severus was very quiet on the journey back, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

They entered the cabin, and Severus went straight for the refrigerator. Hermione watched as he set Oscar Meyer franks and condiments on the table with a package of buns.

"So, you're still set on seeing my camping extravaganza through, huh? I take it we're eating hotdogs then?"

"Of course, you can't do things properly without authentic campfire food."

Hermione laughed and conceded his point. "You never cease to amaze me, Severus."

While Severus gathered the remaining ingredients for their meal, she grabbed her purse and fished around for what would be her contribution to dinner. She produced a box of graham crackers, several Hershey's chocolate bars, and a bag of marshmallows, everything one needed to make gooey s'mores.

"What's all this?"

"Well, you can't do things properly without authentic Muggle campfire dessert," she parroted.

Severus smirked and went to the fireplace in the living room. He set the dinner trimmings on the corner of the mantle and opened the Floo. Hermione watched as Severus continued to build a roaring fire. She laughed to herself as she realized that he wasn't going to create one outside, but they were instead going to roast weenies in the fireplace.

Hermione's expression was shrewd. "This is an authentic Muggle campfire?"

"Well, I would build us a real one outside, but I'm afraid the wood is still wet from the storm. There's only so much charms can do to dry the kindling. I figured it would be just as easy to use the fireplace and briquettes I have here."

Severus excused himself and went to his room. He came back with two wire coat hangers. He went into the kitchen, dug around in one of the drawers, and pulled out a pair of needle-nose pliers. He reappeared in the living room, undoing the coat hangers at the twist to create skewers for cooking over the fire.

Hermione plopped down cross-legged in anticipation. Severus joined her on the floor after grabbing their food. He began the task of threading the hotdogs on the skewers and handed one of them to Hermione. They both stuck their hotdogs into the fire and cooked them until there was a slight blister on the surface. Severus handed Hermione a bun and offered her ketchup and mustard. She put a squirt of mustard on hers but not before managing to shoot some halfway across the room.

It was such a simple meal, yet Hermione was thoroughly enjoying herself. She ate four hotdogs, not realizing just how hungry she was. When Severus polished off his sixth, she opened the bag of marshmallows. Severus raised his eyebrow at her. She just smiled and put marshmallows on their skewers.

"The secret is not to burn them, but to make sure they turn a nice golden brown. They'll need to be hot enough to melt the chocolate."

"Trying to teach the teacher now?"

Hermione simply smiled and continued to turn her marshmallow over the fire. "You know, Severus, I never realized just how multi-faceted of a person you really are. You seem very quiet, relaxed when you're away from school. It's nice to finally get to know you in a capacity other than your classroom."

"I will fully admit that I don't miss having you in my class. You were quite the—how shall I put this delicately—annoying little swot."

Hermione almost dropped her skewer in disbelief. She couldn't believe he was really saying this kind of crap to her now. She felt her whole body flush with anger.

Severus looked at her and appeared to realize that he must have said something to upset her. "Please don't take offense, Hermione. I only meant it in jest."

She spoke through clenched teeth. "So, you're saying none of your insult was true then?"

Severus thought a moment before he spoke. "You prided yourself on being the girl who knew all the answers since you'd clearly put a lot of effort into learning our world, just to fit in. There is nothing wrong with that. It's the nature of any child to want to be accepted. I just couldn't help but sneak a little teasing in there."

Hermione's anger somewhat abated. "I was a little overbearing at times, I admit. But you were no better."

"That is entirely true. I was and shall continue to be a bastard through and through, though my bastard persona seems to be needed few and far between these days."

She smiled a little at that and gave him a playful nudge with her shoulder.

Severus shoved her back, the force from his playful nudge almost knocking the skewer from her hands. "I must say though, I'm impressed at your ability to allow someone else to call the shots and make the decisions. It isn't always easy to defer to someone else in certain situations."

She swallowed hard. "I like being in control. That way there's no one to let me down or disappoint me but me."

Severus moved closer to Hermione until his mouth was next to her ear, his warm breath caressing its outer shell. "Maybe you've been depending on the wrong sort of person. Perhaps you want, not need, but want a real man to show you what it means to relax and allow herself be treated like a lady."

Hermione shivered as Severus backed away from her and focused his attention on his marshmallow, his eyes glazed over with lust. They simultaneously pulled their gooey treats from the fire. The marshmallows had just a hint of black on them. Hermione handed her skewer to Severus while she broke apart the graham crackers. She opened one of the chocolate bars and carefully laid the pieces of chocolate on the graham. She then sandwiched the marshmallow between the two.

Severus turned to face her, and Hermione held the s'more up to his lips. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth to take a bite of the sweet sticky dessert. He smiled as he slowly chewed the treat. Hermione enjoyed feeding him, especially when he licked the crumbs from her fingers. It was sort of sensual, and she liked that she was a part of the pleasure evident on his face.

After his s'more was gone, she set to eating hers. She made and fed Severus several more, surprised by his hearty appetite considering the amount of hotdogs he'd polished off earlier. Where did that man put it all?

Their bellies full, they cleaned up their mess from dinner and afters. Hermione crawled over to the couch and lay down while Severus stoked the fire. She yawned and closed her eyes, only to awake sometime later to the feel of Severus' tender lips on her forehead.

"Are you ready for bed?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmmmm."

Severus picked Hermione up off the couch and carried her to the bedroom. He already had the covers pulled back and gently laid her on the bed. She curled up on her side as he covered her. He went to the other side of the bed and crawled in next to her. She scooted back on the bed until she felt Severus pressed up against her backside. She snuggled against the warmth of his chest. Severus draped his arm across her and pulled her close. Soon they both drifted off to sleep.

Hermione awoke sometime later. Without disturbing Severus, she turned over to face the man lying next to her. He looked so serene sleeping next to her, a quiet beauty about him in this state. She noticed the severity of the scar on his neck and reached out to trace the lines of the healed wound. His hand snaked out and grabbed hers, and he intertwined his fingers with hers. She brought their hands to her mouth and lightly kissed each of his fingers.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but never in a million years would I have imagined you like this."

Severus smiled a sleepy smile and nuzzled their joined hands. "I didn't expect you to, my dear. Honestly, there was a part of me that kept nagging you wanted something different, more than just someone trying to get into your pants. But if you prefer, I could be vulgar and rough. I've got an old school paddle somewhere around here."

Hermione bit her lip to stifle her laugh as she began to think about what Severus had said to her. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, preparing to capture his mouth in a searing kiss.

"Hermione…"

The sad yet hesitant tone with which he spoke her name was like a bucket of water. She opened her eyes, confusion written all over her face.

"I would love nothing more than to fuck you senseless, then spend the rest of the night making excruciatingly slow love to you in every position known to Muggle and wizard kind, but something tells me you've got some unresolved issues in London."

Her eyes widened at his declaration.

"I don't want to pursue anything with you only to complicate it later. I've spent a great deal of time here in solitude dealing with my own demons, learning one of many lessons and reaching out to make amends. You need to sort yourself out before we can possibly consider anything between us."

"You want me to leave then?"

"I think it would be best for you to go home and think things over. I'm no fresh-faced boy, Hermione, and when I play, I play for keeps."

Hermione just looked at him as the tears spilled over her eyes and trickled down her face. She knew from Harry's memories he didn't give his affections lightly. Truth be told, neither did she.

Severus lifted their hands to his mouth and peppered them with kisses. "Please, don't take this as rejection. In fact, look at it in a completely opposite light. I meant what I said: I want you in every possible way. I know that's not an easy thing to digest right now, but I feel a connection with you that I've only ever felt with one other woman. But this is different, better, more real, and if I'm right, possibly reciprocated."

"I know what you mean," she whispered

"That's why I need to send you home, Hermione. Not for forever but for now. And when you're ready, whatever you decide, you know where to find me."

Hermione nodded and pulled Severus into a fierce hug.

He inhaled deeply as he held her tight, almost as if trying to memorize her scent. "Come on; let's go get you ready. You'll be traveling back by Floo."

Severus climbed out of bed and shrugged on a t-shirt. He leaned over and pulled Hermione from the bed, kissing her cheek as he pushed her toward the bathroom. While she showered and gathered her things, she heard him go outside to sit in his favorite rocking chair.

Just before she stepped through the Floo, Hermione dashed to the kitchen and scribbled a note for Severus on some loose parchment. She left the note on the kitchen counter where he could see it and went back to the fireplace. She scooped a handful Floo powder and tossed it, articulating her flat's address. In a flash she was gone.

* * *

Severus heard the sounds of Hermione leaving. He sat in silence for a long time before sighing and getting up from his rocking chair. He went inside for a strong cup of tea. As he pulled his favorite blend from the cabinet, he spotted a note on the counter. He opened it and recognized her curly script.

_Dear Severus, _

_Thank you for the kindness, hospitality, and affection you showed me the last few days. I am truly grateful for the level of intimacy and understanding we shared; it's definitely broadened my perspective. I hope that the end of my self-imposed solitude brings me back to you. _

_Thinking of you,_

_Hermione_

Severus trailed his fingers across the inked salutation reverently then folded the note and placed it in his pocket. Only time would tell if she would find her way back to him.

* * *

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into almost three months since Hermione and Severus had spent those two days together. For the most part, she went on about her normal routine. When she wasn't thinking of him, she spent time wrestling to keep her in-basket at work clean or visiting with Ginny and the rest of her circle of friends, save Ron. While she wasn't quite ready to fix the leaks in that particular friendship, she had made sure to bring proper closure on where they stood as lovers.

Hermione sent an owl to Molly in an attempt to soothe the Weasley matriarch. Regardless of her situation with Ron, she'd found true companionship within the arms of his family and very much wanted to continue to remain close with them. Molly was surprisingly genial and understanding, but made Hermione aware that she wasn't necessarily blameless in her current predicament with Ron.

For the most part, Hermione was happy, relaxed even, but there still something missing. And if she were to put her finger on it, she was certain that something had a hooked nose and a razor sharp wit.

* * *

Severus too went on about his daily habits. He spent a great deal of time thinking of and missing Hermione, but he knew sending her back was the best decision. That knowledge, however, didn't stop him from longing for her return.

He was rocking the afternoon away, enjoying the sunset when he heard the faint sounds of birds chirping excitedly in the distance. He closed his eyes, drinking in the voices of nature as dusk began to blanket the countryside. When he felt the breach of the wards on his property, Severus' eyes flew open, and he leapt out of his chair. He took the steps two at a time but stopped dead at the bottom when he realized who standing in the distance.

Hermione waited on the edge of his property. She was wearing her best sundress—well, her only sundress—her hair loose and flowing, just like he preferred it. She watched as Severus stood still, seemingly waiting to see what she was going to do next.

She walked to him, butterflies dancing in her belly. It seemed like it took ages for her to reach him. When she got close to him, he reached out and grabbed her hand, caressing it gently between his own.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Severus pulled Hermione close to him. He lifted her chin with his free hand and softly brushed his lips against her nose. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back in anticipation of the kiss. Severus didn't make her wait and pressed his lips firmly against hers. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, seeking access to her mouth. She parted them willingly, drawing him so close their bodies were practically one. His fingers tangled in her hair as a guttural moan escaped his throat. Hermione answered his moan with her own sigh of contentment. His mouth was hungry and demanding, the kiss near consuming. It very nearly curled her toes.

After an eternity, she broke the kiss and looked deep into Severus' dark eyes. "So, I guess it's safe to assume you're happy to see me," she said and offered him her finest smirk.

Severus merely chuckled and pulled Hermione in for another kiss.


End file.
